The present invention relates to the field of product assembly.
Product manufacturers continually seek to streamline the assembly process by reducing assembly time, labor costs, and material costs. Particularly in light of industry concerns over fuel economy, vehicle manufacturers strive to reduce vehicle weight. One way to reduce weight is to modify vehicle systems so that fewer components are required. Certain vehicle components do not play a significant role in the actual operation of a vehicle making them candidates for modification. However, components such as a connecting member in a windshield wiper assembly 16, as shown in FIG. 1 are implemented in a vehicle structure to ease the assembly process.
It is strongly preferable to install an entire automobile windshield wiper system into a vehicle as a single unit. Single units are preferred because they reduce assembly time and simplify the assembly process.
As shown in FIG. 1, a windshield wiper system 10 generally includes two pivot joints 12, 14, a connecting member 16 between the two pivot joints 12, 14, a motor 18 mounted on the connecting member 16, and linkages 20, 22, 24 which synchronize the movement between the first pivot joint 12 and the second pivot joint 14. The windshield wiper arms are mounted on the pivot shaft 9, 11 of each pivot joint 12, 14 whereby the pivot shaft 9, 11 driven by the motor 18 reciprocates the windshield wiper arms across the windshield.
The connecting member 16 may, but not necessarily, be made of die-cast steel or aluminum. As shown in FIG. 1, the connecting member 16 may also be a tubular structure. The connecting member 16 includes a first end 26 and a second end 28 where the first pivot joint 12 is mounted to the first end 26 of the connecting member 16 and the second pivot joint 14 is mounted to the second end 28 of the connecting member 16. By having the pivot joints 12, 14 mounted to each end of the connecting member, the connecting member 16 fixes the positions of the pivot joints 12, 14 relative to each other thereby easing the installation and placement of the wiper systems onto the cowl of the vehicle. The motor 18 of a windshield wiper system is also typically mounted on the connecting member 16. Accordingly, the connecting member 16 further serves to connect the various components of the windshield wiper system 10 so that the entire windshield wiper system 10 may be installed onto a vehicle as one unit.
In the assembly process, the single unit, made up of the connecting member 16 and the accompanying windshield wiper system 10, is lowered onto the cowl of the automobile. Once the pivot joints are properly positioned, the unit is affixed to the vehicle through the connecting member with bolts, welds or other fastening devices or methods. Accordingly, the connecting member remains in the vehicle after the assembly process.
The above-described system creates several design issues. First, the prior art system unnecessarily complicates the packaging under the hood of a vehicle by incorporating the connecting member 16 into the vehicle. The manufacturer must unnecessarily maneuver other vehicle components around the connecting member 16 of the windshield wiper system 10 as shown in FIG. 2. This also increases the manufacture time for the other vehicle components, as the other vehicle components must be configured or bent so that all of the components fit under the hood.
Second, the prior art systems add additional weight to a vehicle by including the connecting member as part of the modular windshield wiper system. Third, there is increased cost to manufacture a vehicle with the prior art designs given that the connecting member incorporates more material into the vehicle. Fourth, corrosion may form on each end of the connecting member thereby creating an unpleasant appearance.
Despite these concerns, vehicle manufacturers have continued to include the connecting member 16 as part of the windshield wiper system. This component has been included in order to shorten the time required to install the windshield wiper system onto a vehicle, and to keep the windshield wiper system as a single component in order to ease the installation process.
Consequently, a need has developed for a cost-effective system and method for easily installing a lightweight and compact windshield wiper system which does not require a connecting member.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a re-useable mounting device which easily installs a lightweight and compact windshield wiper system onto an assembly line vehicle.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a lightweight windshield wiper system which does not require a connecting member.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cost-effective windshield wiper system.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an aesthetically pleasing windshield wiper system which resists corrosion.
In carrying out the above objects and other objects and features, a re-usable mounting apparatus in combination with a lightweight windshield wiper system is provided. The lightweight windshield wiper of the present invention does not require a connecting member between the pivot joints thereby reducing the total weight and cost of the wiper assembly. In lieu of the connecting member, a re-usable mounting apparatus is implemented where the apparatus serves to connect the various components of the windshield wiper system so that the wiper system may be installed as a single unit. The re-usable mounting apparatus also serves to spacedly distance the pivot joints during the assembly process so that the windshield wiper system may be properly positioned onto the cowl of the vehicle.
The mounting device includes a mounting arm, a first retaining means, and a second retaining means. The mounting device further includes a first end and a second end wherein the first retaining means is disposed at the first end of the mounting arm and a second retaining means is disposed at the second end of the mounting arm. The lightweight wiper system is releasably attached to the mounting arm at the first retaining means and the second retaining means whereby the first and second retaining means hold and release the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft of the lightweight windshield wiper system.
As noted, the lightweight windshield wiper system of the present invention does not require a connecting member thereby reducing the total weight and cost of the windshield wiper system. Accordingly, the lightweight windshield wiper system includes a motor, first and second wiper arms, first and second pivot shafts, and a linkage between the first and second pivot shafts. Via the linkage, the motor drives the first and second pivot shafts to reciprocate back and forth. The first and second wiper arms are mounted on the first and second pivot shafts such that the wiper arms also reciprocate across the windshield as the pivot shafts rotate back and forth.
As those skilled in the art will recognize, the embodiments of this invention may vary depending upon the specific requirements of a vehicle. Accordingly, the particular size and shape of the windshield wiper system, mounting arm, pivot shafts, connecting members, linkages and other components may vary, depending on the particular application.
The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are more readily understood from a review of the attached drawings and accompanying specification and claims.